Actually, In Love
by Rosel
Summary: Loosely based on Love Actually, interrelated stories of all of the different types of love stories during December. First part: Caroline, Stefan, Bonnie, and Damon decide to take a no dating pact to prevent poor decisions during the holidays. Who needs significant others when they have each other?


Actually, In Love

AN: This is for my sissy KJ

Happy Birthday and Merry Christmas

Sis!:-) :-) :-) :-) :-)

AN: This loosely based on the movie Love Actually. Mostly it takes the idea of having series of interlated different kind of love stories. I hope you enjoy!

Damon sat in their booth peeling the label on his bottle as he watched Bonnie walk into the bar. She looked different and a bit worn down. It was different than her usual annoyed face, which was a face she gave him constantly. She wasn't pissed or angry he knew those expressions pretty well too. No she really looked upset but in a different way, in a way he usually didn't see. She made eye contact with him not pleased to see him. Which was a face he most definately was familar with. Despite her loud shrug she gave him, she moved to sit across from him. "Oh, Bon-Bon not happy to see me?"

"Am I ever happy to see you?"

"Well, there was that one time when ... nope that wasn't you." He said giving her his exagerated smirk.

She rolled her eyes and shook her head at him.

"Where's Caroline?"

"Stefan texted me that she was on her way and called this ever important emergency drinking meeting. I think it has something to do with Stefan's latest break up."

"Stefan and Ivy broke up?" Bonnie asked surprised and a little disapointed.

"Yeah, she dumped the poor sap last night."

"Why?" Bonnie asked displeased.

"I don't know. I didn't exactly cry with him over rocky road." Damon said.

"That's too bad. I really liked her. She was nice and sweet."

Bonnie said looking down.

"Yeah, I did't like her. She was too nice and sweet."

"What's wrong with nice and sweet?"

"Oh I don't know everything."

Bonnie huffed out loudly.

"Why do you have to be so difficult all of the time?"

"Oh, I don't know. It's in my nature I guess. What is going on with you?"

"Nothing is going on with me." Bonnie responded irritated.

"No you are on edge more than usual. So what is with you?"

"Fine, I broke up with Jeremy."

"Oh, wait... how did you break up with him? I thought he wasn't coming to town for a couple more weeks. I know because I got it marked on my calander so that I never walk in on that car wreck."

Her glare grew fiercer.

"I thought it was better to do it before he came for the holidays."

"So you broke up with the little puppy over the phone. How brave." He mocked.

"Don't judge me Damon."

He put his hands up in surrendor.

"Sorry. Judging is your thing. There is no more judging from me. But I will say this."

Bonnie put her hand through her hair weary and asked waiting for the usual sassy insult, "What?"

"I'm proud of you."

"What?" Her eyes widened in surprise.

"Yeah, of course breaking up over the phone wasn't the best approach, but it was high time you kicked the little gilbert down the curb. You were obviously forcing it and you didn't really love him."

"Hey! I loved him!" Bonnie defended.

"OK, but you are not in love with him any more. You haven't been in love with him for a long time if you ever truly did. If you really loved him you wouldn't have cancled all of those trips to see him to spend more time with me. Me- the guy you like the least."

"Hey, maybe I just didn't trust you not to run the company to the ground with out me." Bonnie objected a little playfully.

"Please you knew the company would do fine with me and Rebekah at the helm. The fact is if you really wanted to see him you would have found a way."

She stared at him for a long and hard moment exasperated then she said, "Uh, I hate on the rare occassion when you are right."

"It is a gift."

Bonnie shook her head then turned to see Caroline pulling Stefan in, tugging on his arm pushing him along. His frown looked permently etched on his face.

Poor guy.

"Oh good, the calvary is here." Bonnie said relieved.

"Why so glum Stef? You are finally free to be my wing man. This is cause for a celebration." Damon said.

Bonnie and Caroline both glared at him. Then Bonnie kicked Damon underneath the table.

"So what happened?" Bonnie asked sympathetically.

"I'm not sure. It came out of the blue actually. She just...she said it seemed like she was more into me than I was into her. She said we were forcing it. I didn't see that. I thought we were good. We never argued. She was so...normal." Stefan said.

"Just because she wasn't cray-cray like your last girl doesn't mean she's the love of your life Stef." Damon said.

"I hate to admit this but he is right." Caroline said.

"Wow, both Caroline and Bonnie telling me I'm right. What is the world coming too?" Damon asked.

"Bonnie actually told you that you are right. I don't believe it." Caroline said apalled.

Caroline turned to Bonnie waiting for an explanation.

"I broke up with Jeremy." Bonnie confessed hurriedly.

"What? When?" Caroline asked startled.

"Just before I got here." Bonnie said not looking Caroline in the eye.

Caroline furrowed her eyes confused and said, "Bonnie Bennett please don't tell me you broke up with your long time boyfriend who you were with for years over the phone?!"

Bonnie rested her hands down on the table a little timidly. Damon didn't see this small fragile side of her a lot. He didn't like it.

"If I broke up with him in person it would be too hard. And besides I didn't want to break up with him when he gets home and ruin his vacation."

"I'm pretty sure it's going to suck for him either way Bon." Stefan chimed in.

Bonnie sighed heavily.

"Hey, broody don't make her feel guilty." Damon said.

"Sorry, Bon."

"It's OK Stef."

"Alright, enough with the sadness it's time for the drinks!" Damon said excitedly as he signaled for the waiter.

"Like I said before this isn't something to mourn, this is something to celebrate. We are all single during the holidays! "Damon said excitedly.

The waiter came and they ordered drinks.

Caroline looked at Damon thoughtfully, the wheels seemed to be turning in her head.

"And the holidays are the best time to hook up with the sad and lonely people." Damon said.

"He's right." Caroline said.

"He is?" Stefan asked surprised.

"I am?" Damon asked and then continued to say with a rye attitude.

"Well, well, well. Look at that. I've been right three times tonight you just might as well say that I'm right all the time."

"Great Care look what you did, you just inflated his already inflated ego." Bonnie said.

"Sorry Bon, I know how much you like to deflate it." Caroline said.

"I do."

Bonnie said reminciently like she was thinking of fond memories.

"He was just right about the sad single people during the holidays. We've all been there where we've been sad and lonely during the holidays and that makes us make rash descions." She said then looked at Stefan pointedly.

"I'm never going to hear the end of Tessa thing am I?" Stefan said grim.

Caroline patted his shoulder and said, "Sorry but nope, the girl cut my hair while I was sleeping!"

"Hey, I did have her committed after that." Stefan defended himself.

"As you should. But the point is you were so sad and lonely that you threw your self in a relationship with a psycho and blinded yourself to the tell-tell signs." Caroline said.

" She has a point brother."

"Uh. I don't want to really think about that now." Stefan said.

"Your right you shouldn't think about Cray-Cray Tessa or sweet and boring Ivy. And Caroline is right you shouldn't throw your self in another impetuous relationship. Now is the perfect time

to sample the vast many girls who are out there with no thoughts for the future. Because the best way to get over someone is to get under someone a lot someones, frequently."

"You're disgusting." Bonnie said.

"I know." Damon said with a little pleasure in his voice.

"Anyway what I was saying was that neither of you should try to find any one else any time soon. Being single during the holidays doesn't have to be sad. We are awesome, sucessful, hot single people and we don't need to be in a relationship to be happy. Or to hook up with random strangers." Caroline said trimphantly.

Damon stared at her bankly.

"You lost me."

The waiter served them their drinks.

"I say we form a pact that we all stay single for the whole month of december. So no pitty dates, no getting with some one just so you don't have to go to a party alone. And no hook ups."

"Yeah, I don't see the point in me being a part of this little no fun pact. I totally get the no relationships for these two relationship addicts but no hook ups. I don't compute."

"Of course you don't. I bet you wouldn't last a day with out hooking up with someone." Bonnie said.

"Hey, I'm not an animal. I have restraint."

Bonnie laughed and said, "Please, you Damon Salvatore, lasting a whole month with out hooking up with a girl. I don't think I would believe it if I saw it."

"I can do anything if I set my mind to it."

"Yeah, except for this." Bonnie said scoffing.

"You want to bet." Damon said.

"Actually I do I bet you that you can't last a month without hooking up with a stranger." Bonnie said admantly.

"And what are we wagering exactly?"

"Hmmm." Bonnie furrowed her eyes in contemplation and then gave him a crooked smile.

"I got it if you loose you hand me over the keys to your car for a month."

Damon looked absolutely apalled.

"And why would I ever agree to trust my sweet baby with you?"

"Because if you have such confidence in your restraint then there's nothing to worry about." Bonnie said with a sly smile on her face.

"OK what do I get when I win?" Damon asked.

"What do you want?" Bonnie asked.

"Hmmmm." Damon took his time contemplating.

"I want Enzo."

"What ever floats your boat Damon, but I think Lexi might have a slight problem with you stealing her boyfriend." Bonnie said.

"Not like that. I want you to give him and his band up as clients and give them to me."

"Oh, hell no. It is unprofessional. Not to mention a conflict of interests. He's your best friend and roommate. And don't get me started on the fact it used to be your band and when you and Enzo got together it caused more trouble then I thought was possible. Do I even have to mention all of the times I was there when Elena bailed you two out of jail."

"It was a long time ago back in my wild college days. And I wouldn't be in the band I would be promoting it. But if you are so worried about me winnig the bet then by all means don't risk it."

Damon said with a gleam in his eye.

"OK, fine if you actually last from not hooking up with a stranger for a whole month I will let you have Enzo as a client, but when you fail miseribly then you let me have your car for three months."

"I thought it was a month." Damon said.

"The stakes got higher when you brought Enzo in the picture." Bonnie said.

"Fine, I agree to these terms." He said and he took Bonnie's hand and shook it.

"Good." Bonnie said while she gave him a devilish smile while shaking his hand.

Then Caroline chimmed in, "Good, now that we got the least likely one to commit to this pact. What do you say Stefan? Will you go this whole month without dating anyone?"

"Let me get this straight, I'll go a whole month with out any blind dates, not having to be Damon's wingman, no forcing me to go out meet and dance with random girls. Are you sure this was your idea?" Stefan asked playfully.

"Yep. You have the rest of your life to search for your soul mate, but right now during the holidays it's best if we just rely on each other." Caroline said cheerfully.

"Sounds good to me, but what about all of our events we plan that we need dates for?" Stefan asked.

"We'll be each others dates like we always are when ever either of us don't have dates. Duh." Caroline said like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

He then raised his glass and said, "OK, then lets make it official. To the pact."

They all raised their glasses together and said in unison, "To the pact."

Damon and Bonnie still sat in the booth after Caroline and Stefan left. Stefan didn't see the point in lingering if he wasn't going to be Damon's wing man, after all. He took Caroline home. They had to wake up early for work in the morning anyway. Damon had no idea what made his brother go into an event planning business with the biggest control freak out there, but he seemed to like it. Something told him if Caroline asked him to be a ballerina he would do it.

Oh, well, he supposed Stefan had a point about lingering at a place full

of single lonely women. The best easiest way to win the bet would be to remove himself from temptation, but where was the challange in that? Besides Bonnie wasn't showing him any indication that she was leaving any time soon either and he couldn't leave before her on princple.

Bonnie nursed her drink looking at it reflective.

"Stop it." Damon said irritated.

Bonnie looked up pulled out of her thoughts.

"Stop what?" Bonnie asked annoyed.

"Stop looking sad and vulnerable. You are putting a target for guys trying to find nieve girl to take advantage of right on that pretty head of yours."

"You think I'm pretty?" She asked eerily meek and genuinely surprised.

"Bonnie, stop it. This isn't you."

"What isn't me?"

"Your not this meek, mild, pathetic girl that you let these boys turn you into."

"Damon, you don't know what your talking about."

"I know exactly what I am talking about, you do this all the time. Every time you break up with Jer or Ben or those other boys you allow yourself to date. And yes Bonnie they are boys and not men."

Bonnie glared at Damon fiercly.

"Damon!" Bonnie scolded, "Don't. I don't need to hear this right now."

"Yes, you do. This is exactly what you need to hear right now. Because I can't stand to see this fragile, weak, insecure girl in front of me."

"Then why don't you just leave?" Bonnie bit out.

"Because of that 'look at me I'm sad and lonely and in need of comfort' bullseye you are wearing. There is no way I'm leaving you right now."

"I can take care of myself." Bonnie said irked.

"Oh, yeah, you've done a bang up job of that so far."

"Damon, it's OK. It's OK to be a little sad when you break up with someone." Bonnie said.

"What are you sad about exactly? You already admitted that you don't love him." Damon said.

"You actually think I would tell you."

"Actually, I do. So just spill all ready."

Bonnie took a big gulp of her drink and then said, "Oh, stop. I know what you are trying to do."

"And what is that exactly?"

"You are trying to deflect. And distract your self from all of the hot lonely girls who are eying you right now." Bonnie said.

"Whose deflecting now? You are deflecting on my deflection from the thing you were original deflecting."

Bonnie shook her head at Damon laughing at his ridiculousness.

"It still doesn't take away from the red head at one o'clock who is scoping you out like you are something to eat. Or the blonde at the bar."

"Oh, so that is the current method of distraction you are playing. You are trying to win the bet." Damon said.

"Naturally." Bonnie said with a slight smirk to her lips then she downed the last of her drink.

She waved the waiter signaling for another drink.

"Well, you know it's not going to work. We made a there is no way I am caving and letting you anywhere near my car." He said as he gulped down his drink.

"Oh, come on. You want to see me in that car. You know you are going to cave. Other wise you wouldn't be here." She said smugly as she sipped her drink.

"I am here to prevent you from caving." Damon said as he waved the waiter to bring him another drink.

Bonnie laughed over dramatically, "You think I would actually cave before you?"

"I really do. You have it written all over you."

"Please, there is no way I would cave before you. Unlike you I actually have will power."

"You wanna bet." Damon said and then he took another big gulp of his drink.

"I thought we already did?" Bonnie asked a little confused.

"We only bet on wheather I would cave, we didn't say anything about you." Damon pointed out.

"It's kind of pointless. Since that wouldn't be a challange."

"I beg to differ. Then why are you still here giving all of the predators reason to attack?" Damon asked.

" Intersting talk, for a guy who does the exact same thing on regular basis."

"I never said I wasn't a predator, I only said you shouldn't play the victim."

"I'm not!" Bonnie protested.

Damon gave her his 'he wasn't buying it look.'

Bonnie shook her head exasperated. Then stood up and scooted out of the booth.

"Where are you going?" Damon asked as he went after her.

"To get away from you."

Damon grabbed her hand.

Then a new song came on and Damon asked, "Do you want to dance?"

"Not particulary." Bonnie said.

He moved his hand delicately in hers and said, "Come on, Bon. Live a little."

Bonnie stared at him and then she did notice a couple of guys who were eying her. She could just leave and go home and honestly she didn't feel like going home just yet.

"Fine, whatever."

He led her to the dance floor.

They danced to 'where oh where can my baby be'.

They swayed to the music.

Bonnie rested her head on his shoulder.

Then Bonnie said whistfully, "This is a sad song."

He then spun her over dramatically and brought her body back to his where her back pressed against his chest. He whispered in her ear, "Don't listen to the lyrics just dance."

Bonnie pulled herself back where they were dancing regular.

"Don't tell me what to do!"

"Then stop being so pathetic."

"Well, how about you stop being afraid of feelings." Bonnie shot back at him.

"I'm not afraid of feelings." Damon said as he dipped Bonnie.

When he lifted her back up she said, "Oh you so are. How come you haven't been in an actual relationship since Elena huh?"

"I prefer a variety other than the same thing all of the time."

"Nope, wrong. You are just afraid because when you were with Elena you felt something and turned it into a disaster and such a mess so now your afraid to open yourself up again. That is why when you see me or Stefan or anyone else have any kind of feelings you make fun of it."

"No, I make fun of it because you and Stefan pick boring people to be with." Damon retorted.

The song ended and Bonnie said in a huff, "I'm getting a drink."

Damon stood there for a moment and watched her march to the bar fumming. He liked it so much better when she was fumming. It was way better than this sad reflective girl who greived over Mr. Bore Me.

Then a blonde came up to him holding a drink and said with a sexy tease," Hi there. "

"Hi." Damon said with his usual swagger.

"Thanks for the drink." She said as she sipped her daccari.

"Um, I didn't get you that drink."

"The girl from the bar told me you did."

Damon looked at the bar and saw Bonnie waving at him smiling mischieviously.

"No. I didn't." Damon said with clenched teeth. He then passed her by and headed to the bar where Bonnie was standing taking shots.

Damon stood by her and said, "Did you really think that was going to work?"

"I hoped. But nah, that was just my first try." Bonnie said as she downed another.

"Your attempts are futile." Damon said.

Bonnie said, "We'll see."

Then Bonnie took another shot.

Then he said, "Don't you think you had enough."

"Nope."

:-) :-) :-) :-) :-) :-) :-)

The rest of the night Bonnie had thrown girls at him and he had denied every single prospect. Uh. If it were any other night... Bonnie would make an excellent wing man...girl...wing person? Whatever. He was sitting there watching Bonnie tell a girl about all of his volunteer work at the animal shelter. It was just rude. It was some really good stuff she was laying out there.

There was a few of guys that were about to hit on her, but he put a stop to that. She was way to drunk for that kind of thing. That was another problem, she was just so waisted.

She was sexy dancing now and there were several guys who were noticing.

There was one who was approaching. Yeah, he had to put a stop to that.

Bonnie looked up and tugged on Damons jacket and said, "Hi, Damon!"

"OK, Bon it's time for you to go."

"Oh, noooooo, this place is great! I love everyone. I made so many friends. There are so many girls here who want to sleep with you. I'm not surprised. Your hot!"

"And that is the sure sign that you're way too drunk. Let's go, Bon." Damon said as he delicatey pulled her off of the dance floor.

"But Damon it's so true though, you are so hot. I always thought so ever since I first saw you. I told Care and Lena you were sexy mystery danger guy." Bonnie slurred and then she started to fall down and Damon caught her.

"OK, It's time to go home, Bon."

"Kay! Dammy!"

Damon shrugged as he walked her out of the bar with her leaning into his side.

He took her to his car. He slowly put her in the front seat. He gently buckled her up and said, "Now Bon, no puking in my car."

Bonnie didn't respond since she went straight for the radio. Normaly he would tell her to not mess with his radio but Bonnie was really drunk and she wouldn't remember this.

Then the song, "What a man." came on.

Bonnie then waved her hands overdramatically and sung along, "What a man! What a man! You drive me crazy! I wanna have your baby! Unst. Unst. Unst."

Damon shook his head, yep, Bon-Bon was so very waisted. He pulled in to the parking lot.

Bonnie clapped," Yay! We're here. Woot woot."

Then she looked around looking confused.

"Hey, Damon! This isn't my place, it's your place."

"Yeah, we're going to get my very special hang over concoction. So you aren't more crabbier then usual at work tommorow."

"Awwwwwwwwe."

"Come on." He said as he pulled her towards his apartment.

:-) :-) :-) :-) :-) :-)

Damon held Bonnie in his arms as he opened the door. She was getting wobbly so he lifted her up as they went in the elevator. So he carried her in his apartment wedding style. She held on to his neck getting sleepy.

"Oh, Dammy, you are so strong." Bonnie said groggily.

Then he dropped Bonnie on his couch.

He tripped and fell on her.

"Umph." Damon grunted.

She fell asleep.

Damon proceeded to go to his kitchen

to make his hang over remedy for Bon.

Bonnie tossed and turned and then she started

to mumble a bit. He couldn't help but smile

to himself, he loved to make fun of her

for talking in her sleep. He remembered

when she was really overworking and fell asleep in her office she rambled about

their clients and something about the

lollipop guild. He loved bringing that up

when ever they bickered.

After Damon made his absolutely perfect

hang over remedy. He put it in the fridge to

keep it cold.

Then suddenly the TV went on loudly, blaring

MTV2, a rock music video came on. Bonnie

shot up in a started and yelled, "Shut up Damon!"

"Hey, I didn't do anything." Damon defended himself.

He brought her a bottle of water.

"Oh, right."

Then she dug behind her back and found the remote.

"How long did I sleep?"

"Only a half hour."

"Oh."

"Do you want me to take you home?"

"You don't have to do that. You're already

home, I'll just take a cab."

"Yeah, OK, whatever." Damon said.

Bonnie found her purse and looked for

her phone, she took it and started to scroll

through it. Her face scrunched up pensive.

"Bon. Aren't you supposed to be calling a cab?"

She didn't respond and remained focused

on the phone. He sat next to her on the couch

and saw she was looking at Jeremy's picture.

Then Damon grabbed her phone.

"Hey!" Bonnie yelled.

"I'll just call the cab for you since you can't

even manage that with out getting all mopey."

Bonnie grabbed her phone from Damon and

said, "I can manage just fine! I am managing fine.

Gosh Damon we just broke up! Let me have

these small moments please. Stop trying to

force me not to think about it, OK."

Damon put his hands up in surrender and asked,

"Why do you feel so bad about it? You broke up

with him."

"Because you were right about me not taking

time for him. If I really wanted this to work, I

would have tried harder to see him. But maybe

there is a little part of me that is sad that

he didn't make time for me. I know he is

busy with grad school and all. And I don't

need to be one of those girls who sit around

the phone and wait for her boyfriend to call."

"You are not one of those girls. At least

you haven't actually been one of those girls

in a long time."

"What?"

"You used to be one of those girls. You used to

shyly wait in the corner for guys like Jeremy

and Ben to notice you. You were the girl who got

back with Jeremy even though he cheated on you.

But you are not that girl anymore. You turned

into this woman who doesn't take anyones shit.

You make grown men cry. You get multi million dollar business men, rock stars, and polticians to bow to your feet. You turn catastorphies into life changing events. You help reshape businesses and you reshape people and make them better. And that is why I can't stand it when your sad and pensive and all meek and mild. Because you

Bonnie Bennett are not that weak and frail girl. You

are a bitch. You are the head bitch in charge and you..."

Bonnie stopped him with her lips rushing towards his. That surprised him for about 2.5 seconds and he grabbed her kissing her hard. He pulled her in his arms and they made out like there was no tommorow. He brushed her lips with his with a burning passion. He put his hands through her wild hair. Her hands reached to his jacket pulling it off. He thought he heard it rip, but he couldn't be bothered by it, he was a bit preoccupied at the moment. He was a bit busy with the taste of her rasberry lips on his. He could go at this all day. But Bonnie seemed to have other ideas. She pulled him up from the couch.

"Bedroom! Now!" Bonnie demanded between ragged breaths.

"Patience, Bon-Bon."

Bonnie grabbed him and leaned him against the TV.

"I am not a patient woman Damon. You know that."

"Oh, I know." Damon said as he kissed her again pulling her against him.

Bonnie pushed him harder against the TV. How did they even get to leaning against Enzo's 50 inch flat screen TV in the place? He needed to get her to the bedroom, like she insisted. But she was kissing him like that all of the power in his brain was melting. The simple act of moving his feet 10 feet to the bedroom seemed close to impossible at the moment.

He then started to push Bonnie near the couch.

Bonnie huffed between breaths and said, "We're

moving this back to the couch."

"No, I don't think so. We're moving this to the bedroom or this isn't happening."

Damon stopped the kissing and dropped his hand from her hair.

"Fine, it's not happening then." He said with a smug smile on his face.

Bonnies eyes gave him the worst deathly glare he has seen on her and that was saying something.

"Why do you have to be so difficult all the time?"

"You love it." Damon responded.

She had that look on her face when she is about

to storm off. Then she said, "Screw it!"

And rushed to him and frantically kissed him again.

Somehow he found himself pushed up against the TV, again. Oh, well he continued to kiss her with a burning fire. He wouldn't mind if this moment lasted for quite a while. She pushed him back again leaning against the TV but he lost his balace and suddenly he heard ba loud crash. The TV fell back wards.

They both were jolted from all of the kissing ad they looked at Enzos TV with the large crack in the middle.

Bonnie pulled herself away from him as if reality was kicking in.

Then she yelled, "What did you do?"

"What do you mean 'what did I do?' This

is entirely your fault."

Damon said frustrated.

Stefan brought Caroline home, grateful that he didn't have to endure anyone trying to set him up. Caroline twirled her hair and looked up at him thoughtfully.

"OK, some rules for tonight. No calling Ivy, no calling Rebekah, or any of your delenquent exes. No calling Elena. I know you guys are cool now but just to be safe. Maybe, you should just give me your phone just for tommorow." Caroline said

"Caroline! I'm fine OK. You know you can trust me to stay true the pact."

"I know I can Stef, I just worry about you. The past few break ups have been hard on you and you always make bad decisions when your dealing with them."

"Thanks, Care." Stefan said sarcastically.

"You know it's true. I try to help you and be there for you, just like your always there for me...but..."

"Yeah, I know Care that is why you have made the perfect little pact." Stefan said.

"Perfect really?"

"Just like you." Stefan said.

Caroline smiled and lightly punched him on the arm.

"Stop it. Stef."

"I just like it. It will be nice to not put myself out there looking for a girl who will only end up disapointing me anyway. I much rather just hang out with you and focus on work." Stefan said giving her an overexagerated smile.

"Great. I'm excited. You know this will be the first time since our epic friendship started way back in college that we've both been single. " Caroline said thinking out loud.

"I know the thought has occured to me." Stefan said.

"It's going to be great. This is our busiest time of year. We have events lined up and all booked. We got plenty of clients to keep us busy. Plus we have each other. We will get through this holiday season yet." Caroline said while putting fist in the air waving it triumphantly.

"Yeah, who needs significant others when we have eachother? Right?" Stefan said.

"Exactly." Caroline said with a big bright smile filling her face.

Her smiles were contagouse even in his most brudiest moods.

"Goodnight, see you tommorow. Bright and early." Caroline said her spirits high.

She gave him a hug and said, "Be strong Stef, we'll get through this together like we always do."

"Sleep tight Care."

She gave him a light kiss on the cheek. He watched her as she left for her apartment a bit whistfully. He didn't really know why he was so whistful though. All he knew was he was actually kind of relieved that Ivy broke up with him and Caroline was single. He actually was looking forward to this holiday season just enjoying it with his best friend.

Stefan knew he should go to sleep, he did have a big day tommorow. They had several events that they needed to get ready for. Doing all of the budget stuff and expense reports for just the events they had planned for the week, was going to take some time. He knew he had to be at his best especially when Caroline was in her amped up planning mode. He loved it though, she was at her best when planning events she was in her element. She was known to go a bit overboard but he did what he could to center her.

He gave up on sleeping, it wasn't working. So he started to go over some expense reports. After a while the door flung open with Lexi in tow.

"The prodigal roommate returns!" Lexi anounced herself overdramatically with her outstretched arms.

"Welcome home." Stefan said with a genuine smile.

"Thanks. Hey, why are you up late?"

Stefan chuckled, "Good to know you were planning to wake me up with dramatics."

"I live for the small pleasures in life." Lexi said mockingly cute.

"Not that I'm not happy to see you home, but why aren't you crashing at Enzos?"

"We had a pretty ... active trip and he needs his rest cause he has a gig tommorow. He has major orders to get some sleep and if I crash there, well lets just say he wouldn't be getting much sleep." She said saucily.

"Ewe." Stefan said giving her his fake disgusted face.

"So why are you up so late?" Lexi asked.

"Oh, uh, Ivy broke up with me. So Caroline called an emergency break up drinking meeting thing." Stefan said.

"Oh, I'm sorry Stefan. Ivy was um...nice." Lexi said.

"It's OK Lexi, I know for some strange reason you didn't like her."

Lexi shrugged her shoulders giving him the mocking innocense look.

"So why are you here doing boring work stuff in the middle of the night instead of at bar with Damon being each others wing men, or having Caroline trying get you to dance with random chicks trying to make sure you don't give up on love?"

Stefan smiled happily and said, "Because there will be no setting me up for this whole hoiday season. We made a pact."

"A pact?" Lexi asked furrowing her eyebrows skeptical and confused.

"Yeah, me, Caroline, Damon, and Bonnie all agreed to stay single during the holidays. So no relationships, no dates, and no hook ups. Just a holiday filled with bliss, because no one will try to set me up." Stefan said up beat.

"Let me guess this was Caroline's idea."

"Yeah so?"

"So you just broke up with your girlfriend and Caroline comes up with the brillant idea of you staying single."

"It is a brilliant idea. I'm tired of the whole game. And I think Caroline knows that. Besides this is a really busy time for business so it's better that we don't have any distractions."

"So basically now that Caroline is making you stay single you can spend most of your time with her, which is what you want to do anyway."

"What are you getting at?"

Lexi looked at Stefan bewildered.

"Seriously, Stefan! You really don't see it?"

"See what?"

"Caroline!"

"What about Caroline?" He asked with a blank expression on his face.

Lexi sighed exasperated, "You got to be kidding me Stefan. You really don't see it? You rather spend all of your time with Caroline. You are actually relieved that your girlfiend broke up with you. Aren't you? "

"Look I'm just tired of the drama."

"Yeah and you just rather spend all of your time with Caroline because you love her."

"Wait. What? Come on it's not like that, she's my friend. Guys and girls can be friends you know, we're clear evidence of that." Stefan pointed out.

"Yeah, I know. But you and Caroline aren't just friends, you are in love. You are so past falling for each other. You guys are pratically married. You gave up your lucretive career to start a business with her." Lexi said.

"So did Damon with Bonnie and their not eloping anytime soon."

Lexi scoffed and said," Please they bicker like an old married couple."

Stefan shook his head and said, "They may have started a business together but they each have their own clients they pratically work with an invisible line between them."

"Unlike how you and your work wife work intricatily together. Everyday." Lexi countered.

"Come on. Stop it, Lexi, me and Caroline are just friends." Stefan protested annoyed.

"It just boggles my mind how you can't possibly see it."Lexi said her bewildered look still staying with her.

Then her phone buzzed.

She picked it up looking at it.

She ignored it at first.

"Aren't you going to get that?" Stefan asked.

"No, it's Enzo." Lexi said.

"Yeah, why would you answer your boyfriend's texts?" Stefan asked sarcastic.

"It's for his own good. He needs his sleep. I am not going to be his enabler." Lexi said.

Stefan laughed.

"OK."

"What?" She asked.

"Yeah or maybe you and Enzo don't have much to say. Cuz your so called relationship isn't very deep."

"Hey, I reject that. What we have is very deep."

Stefan stared at her unbelieving.

"Come on Lexi, it's Enzo. It's just hard to envision Enzo in anything serious."

"Hey, Enzo is very deep. His muscles are very deep." Lexi said with a cute smile.

Stefan laughed,"You are kind of making my point for me. You and Enzo started to hop into bed because you were bored both being on the road together. You started out as each others wingmen got bored and just hooked up. "

"There's nothing wrong with having fun Stefan. Not every romance has to start off so...romantic. It can start off as friends first. "

Stefan sighed over dramatically.

"Will you stop with that already?"

"Never!" Lexi proclaimed.

Her phone buzzed again, and again, and again.

"Maybe, you should get that." Stefan said.

"I better just yell at him. To tell him to go to sleep. I really didn't think he was going to be such a drama queen about it. He was really tired." Lexi as she picked up her phone.

Then she opened up her text messages.

**Lexi**!**!**!

LEXI!

HELP!

Damon is being too loud with a girl

Lexi shook her head. She texted back.

Tell him to shut the hell up, I don't care

what he is doing. Or who he is doing it with.

You need your sleep, you didn't sleep in 24 hours.

Yeah, I don't want to interupt him.

Why?

Cuz he's with Bonnie.

Well, good then. She'll tell him to be quiet

and let you sleep. If Damon would listen

to anyone it would be her.

Yeah, but if I interupt they'll stop and pretend

nothing happened.

Wait? What? Are you saying that Bonnie and Damon...

They're going at it like animals.

Lexi almost fell out of her chair.

Stefan looked at Lexi and asked, "Are you

OK?"

Lexi gave him a proudful smile and said, " Oh,

I'm good. I just love being right that is all."

"You are right about something?"

"Yep!" Lexi exclaimed.

"About what?"

"Hold on."

I got to tell Stefan about this!

I would hold off on that

Why? This will be so great. He compared

him and Caroline with Bonnie and Damon!

I can use this as evidence that friends can get

together.

Yeah, but their bickering again.

So they stopped, so they're not hooking

up?

Hold on.

Nope, their still going at. Bickering is their

foreplay. I've been telling Damon this the whole

time. He always is like "no Enzo. I hate her"

Man, I love being right.

Yeah, I know me too. OK, so stop

being a perve and get some sleep.

Yeah, they're making it difficult.

Put earplugs on duh.

Oh yeah. OK

Good night babe.

Good night, love you.

Lexi put down the phone staring at it blankly.

Stefan looked at Lexi and asked, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing. It's nothing...he just told me...

he loved me."

"So?" Stefan asked confused.

He then had surprised realization ,

"You haven't said your 'I love you's' yet?"

"Not, in so many words." Lexi said looking

at her hands.

"But you've been together for six months."

"Yeah, I know that Stefan." Lexi said

slightly annoyed.

"So I was right about the relationship not

being very deep. So it wasn't deep for you but

now it is for him?" Stefan mused.

Lexi sighed.

"See this right here is why it's not a good

idea for friends to hook up. It gets too

complicated. Yeah, it might be fun and feel

good at first but in the end if it doesn't work

out you lose a really good friend." Stefan said

getting frusrated.

"I didn't realize you liked Enzo so much."

She said in a lighthearted voice.

He looked down at her and asked," Are you

OK?"

"I'll figure it out. It's not the tragedy you're

making it out to be. Enzo, just threw me off

guard that's all. And yeah, getting into a

relationship with a friend is scary but

in the end it can be worth it."

"OK, OK. Look, I'm sorry if I was being an insensitive jerk about Enzo." Stefan said sincerly she put his hand on hers for support.

"It's OK. I know you don't get along with him. You've always been jealous of each other. If it wasn't because of his friendship with Damon then it's because of me."

Stefan did not deny it.

"I didn't like how much of a bad influence he was on Damon."

"But they are both doing better now."

" Yeah, because Damon quit the band and went in business with Bonnie and Rebekah."

"Yeah. Who would of thought that would be a good idea." Lexi said amused to herself.

Stefan laughed to himself and said,"Who would of thought."

"It all worked for the best, but I still think your jealous of him and not because he is like a brother to your brother. But because you are afraid of him taking your place."

" If you are trying to say that I have thing for you now too..."Stefan started to say awkwardly.

"I was jealous of Caroline too."

"Lexi."

"But then I realized what you and Caroline have is different because I realized she can't take the place of me. And you aren't exactly best friends you are more. And I am totally fine that because she mkes you happy."

Stefan breathed out deeply.

"Look, if I'm wrong and there's nothing there, then there's nothing there. But at least think about it ok?"

Stefan resigned and said, "OK."


End file.
